Tool for lock rings

ABSTRACT

A tool for holding horseshoe shaped lock rings to facilitate their installation or removal. The tool has a handle with a bifurcated end forming two legs. The legs have facing slots or grooves at their outermost ends arranged to straddle the lock ring at a point inward of either of its ends.

United States Patent n9] Hosba ch 1 Apr. 24,1973

1 1 TOOL FOR L OCK RINGS [76] Inventor: William A. l-losbach, 715Newport Dr., Baldwin Township, Allegheny County, Pa. 15234 [22] Filed:Mar. 31, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 129,907

52 U.S.Cl ..29/243.s7 51 1m. (:1. ..B23p 19/08 58 FieldofSearch..29/229,283,243.57,

[56]. References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,253,327 5/1966 McElligatt..29/278 X 2,650,722 9/1953 Stabile ..29/229 X 3,340,592 9/1967Carpenter 3,470,600

10/1969 Hosbach ..29/ 229 Primary Examiner--Granville Y. Custer, Jr.Assistant Examiner-J. C. Peters Att0rneyEugene P. Girman 5 7 ABSTRACT Atool for holding horseshoe shaped lock rings to facilitate'theirinstallation or removal. The tool has a handle with a bifurcated endforming two legs. The legs have facing slots or grooves at theiroutermost ends arranged to straddle the lock ring at a point inward ofeither of its ends.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented April 24, 1973 5&

INVENTOR. $211690? 62 hosafloy TOOL FOR LOCK RINGS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention pertains to the art of small tools for applyingand removing open ended lock rings of the type which are of a generalhorseshoe shape and are designed to expand slightly to fit over a shaft,or groove in a shaft, thereby preventing relative movement of the shaftwith some other component.

It has become increasingly common to use special tools for theinstallation and removal of open-ended lock rings from shafts and rods.For the open-ended horseshoe type it has become common practice to useone special tool for installation and a separate tool or separate jawson the same tool. for removal. A major consideration is the manner inwhich the jaws of the tool hold the lock ring. For installation the toolmust grasp the ring securely but in such a manner and position that thelock ring arms are permitted to spread apart so that the arms can beplaced over and partially around the shaft. Likewise for ring removalthe same type lock ring arm action must be permitted to take place forthe ring arms must then be forced apart to be taken off the shaft.Existing tools permit this necessary movement of the lock ring arms forboth installation and removal either by arrangements requiringadjustments between the installation and removal positions or by havingseparate heads for each operation. My earlier U.S. Pat. No. 3,470,600discloses a single headed tool which served both purposes. I have nowdiscovered that by using basically the same tool as is patented but byre-arranging its grooves the structure can be simplified and at the sametime the installation operation will be simplified with no adverseeffect to the removal operation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is for an improvedtool which by a single head will properly grasp an open-ended horseshoelock ring for assisting in both its installation or removal from shaftor rods. The tool has a main or head portion and preferably attached toa handle which can be comfortable held. The head is bifurcated formingtwo legs spaced apart at a distance which is chosen to be able topartially straddle between its inner surfaces a size range of lock ringsacross the flat transverse surfaces thereof. A groove or slot is locatedin the corner of each leg extending through both the inner surface andthe adjacent end portion of the leg with a location of these groovesrelative to each other being critical. The grooves have coplanar bottomsurfaces which face each other and converge toward each other inwardlyfrom the ends of the leg. In general the groove bottom surfaces aresufficiently wider than the lock ring thickness and sufficiently spacedapart from one another to allow an open ended horseshoe lock ring to beinserted and held therein from either its open or closed end. The widestpoint between the groove bottom surface is at the very ends of the legsand is adequate to permit the largest transverse dimension of the lockring to pass through. The narrowest point between the groove bottomsurfaces occurs somewhere upward and inward of the leg ends but beforethe legs join at the head of the tool. The spacing there is somewhatsmaller than the largest transverse dimension of the lock ring so thatwhen the closed end of a lock ring is inserted into the grooves of thetool it will enter and seat securely against the bottom surfaces whileat the same time the lock ring arms will extend freely withoutobstruction so that they may open slightly over a rod or shaft when thelock ring is forced over a shaft for installation. On the other handwhen the opposite or open end of a horseshoe lock ring is inserted intothe grooves the ring will pass through the grooves and up between thelegs of the tool to a point where the transverse distance across thering is equal to the nearest spacing between the groove bottom surfaces.In this position the tool will be properly holding the ring for removalfrom a shaft. That is, a portion of the lock ring shoulder is securedwithin the groove so that the ring will move upon movement of the tooland the ring arms are again free to expand or open slightly as is alsorequired when a lock ring is forced over a rod or shaft for removal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention may be better understoodand its advantages will become more apparent from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of apreferred embodiment of the tool in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the tool and lock ring installed on ashaft;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the head of the tool showing a lock ringretained therein in a position for installation;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the head of the tool showing a lock ring returntherein in a position for removal.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingswherein like references numerals refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views, 2 designates a typical horseshoe lock ring with its arms3 being spaced closer together at their ends so that they will reacharound and grasp an annular groove 4 in a shaft or rod 5. The lock ringsare joined at their upper ends by a solid transverse cross over section6. As can be seen from the drawing the widest portion of the lock ringis on a line across this transverse section 6. Installation and removalof such a lock ring requires a force to be applied to cause the arms toslightly open. As can be envisioned if the force is not properlydirected or if the lock ring is not secure- Iy held the ring couldeasily slip away or turn on the shaft. My tool for use in installing orremoving this type ring can be seen by referring to the drawings whereinthe tool is provided with a head or main portion 10 which is shownfastened to a handle 12 at a convenient angle so that the tool may beheld and manuevered easily. The head portion 10 is bifurcated into twolegs 14 which extend away from the handle and form an arch havingcoplanars facing inner surfaces 16 and end surfaces 18. Each end surface18 of each leg contains a groove or slot 20. The groove opens into theend surface 18 and extends through the corner formed between the endsurface 18 and inner surface 16 so that the groove also opens into theinner surface 16. Each groove has a bottom surface 22 and is shown withtwo sides 24 however, whether the groove has one or two sides is notcritical to the invention.

The spacing and positioning of the groove bottom surfaces are veryimportant to the operation of this invention As can be seen especiallyfrom FIGS. 2 and 3 the legs 14 of the tool are designed to straddle thelock ring 2 and the grooves 20 are so arranged that a lock 1 ring ofproper size can be inserted into them from either its open or closed endand due to its shape will securely contact and come to rest on thegroove bottom surfaces 22. The contact will take place somewhere nearthe widest portion of the lock ring transverse section 6 and the lockring arms 3 will be left free to expand as will later be shown to beimportant. In order to effect this the grooves 21 and groove bottoms 22must be substantially coplanar that is, both grooves including theirbottom surfaces lie in a single plane so that a properly sized lock ringwhen placed in that plane will enter both grooves. Additionally, thespacing between the groove bottom surfaces 22 is of great significance.At the outer most end of the tool legs 14 the spacing between the groovebottoms is greater than the greatest distance across the transverseupper portion 6 of the lock ring 2. This allows insertion of the lockring 2 into the grooves 20 from both its open or closed end. However,the groove surfaces 22 are made to converge as with a radius toward eachother inward and upward toward the top of the tool head 10 so that atsome point the spacing between the bottom surfaces 22 become smallerthan the greatest distance across the transverse upper portion 6 of thelock ring 2. This spacing insures that once a lock ring within aselected size range is inserted into the grooves from either its open orclosed end it will at some point while in the grooves come torest'securely against and between the bottom surfaces 22.

When either end of the ring 2 is inserted into the grooves of the toolhead 10 the tool will act like an extension of the ring. At that time ifthe tool is moved or forced in any direction the lock ring will movewith it. In operation as shown in FIG. 2 the lock ring 2 may be insertedfrom its closed end into the grooves 22 of the tool head 10 until itstransverse section 6 seats within and across both grooves 20. In thisposition the transverse cross over section 6 of the lock ring is securedbetween the legs 14 of the tool being prevented from unwanted movementby confinement within the groove 20 and groove side 24. The lock ring isthereby securely held for installation. Even though the lock ring 2 istightly held the arms 3 of the ring are not confined andare free toexpand as may be required when the ring is forced over a rod or shaftinto the position shown in FIG. 1. Once the arms 3 are over the shaftthey either spring back into position or may be squeezed togethersomewhat causing the lock ring 2 to become attached around the shaft.

Conversely the lock ring 2 may be inserted from its open end into thegrooves 22 of the tool head 10 as when the ring is on a shaft and thetool is being used to remove it. For this operation as can be seen fromFIG.

I '3 the tool 10 will contact and hold the lock ring again at blebetween the tool legs 14 so that the arms 3 of the lock ring 2 canextend up between the tool legs 14 without contacting any part of thehead portion 10 of the tool. In order to provide this clearance the toollegs 14 are made substantially parallel and extend downward a distancegreater than the length of the lock ring arms 3 from the point wherecontact is made between the tool legs 14 and the inserted lock ring 2.In general I have found that enough clearance is provided if the contactpoint, that is if the groove at the inner leg surface 16, is made atabout the middle of the leg length or about one half the distance up theleg.

While I have shown and described a particular version of my invention,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto butthat modification may be made as are covered by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A tool for the removal and installation of a horseshoe shaped lockring of the class described having arms which extend from the transversecross over section providing an open endand a closed end whichcomprises; a head portion at least one pair of legs connected to thehead and having inner facing surfaces and outer ends, the surfaceshaving therein grooves with substantially coplanar bottom surfaces forengagement with the outer edges of the lock ring the groove bottomsurfaces converging toward each other inwardly and upwardly from theouter ends of the legs and being spaced apart at the nearest point adistance slightly less than the largest dimension across the outer mostedges of the transverse section of the lock ring whereby the legs can bemade to straddle the outer most edges of the lock ring from either itsopen or closed end and will make contact near a line across said outermost: edges to securely hold and resist rotation thereof whenever thering is being forced over or being removed from a shaft.

2. The tool as defined in claim 1 wherein the groove bottom surfaceshave a maximum spacing slightly greater than the greatest transversedistance across the outer most edges of the lock ring.

3. A tool for the removal and installation of horseshoe shaped lockrings for the class described comprising; a head portion coplanar legsextending from the head portion having facing edges and having-at leastone groove in each of said edges which is coplanar with a groove in thefacing edge bottom surfaces in each coplanar groove which face eachother having spacing there between a distance less than the largestdimension across the transverse outer edges of the lock ring but greaterthan the smallest distance across the outer edges of the lock ring eachbottom surface being radiused outwardly and downwardly toward the outerends of the legs having spacing there between at the outer ends of thelegs a distance greater than the largest I I outer ends, the surfaceshaving therein grooves with substantially cosplanar bottom surfaces forengagement with the outer edges of the lock ring with groove bottomsurfaces converging toward each other inwardly and upwardly from theouter ends of the legs said groove bottom surfaces having a maximumspacing there between slightly greater than the greatest transversedistance across the outer most edges of the lock ring said maximumspacing between the groove bottom surfaces occurring at the outer mostextremities of the tool legs whereby the legs can be made to straddlethe outer most edges of the lock ring from either its open or closed endand will make contact near a line across said outer most edges tosecurely hold and resist rotation thereof whenever the ring is beingforced over or being removed from a shaft.

5. A tool for the removal and installation of a horseshoe shaped lockring of the class described having arms which extend from a transversecrossover section providing an open end and a closed end whichcomprises; a head portion at least one pair of legs connected to thehead and having inner facing surfaces and outer ends, the surfaceshaving therein grooves with substantially co-planar bottom surfaces forengagement with the outer edges of the lock ring the groove bottomsurfaces converging toward each other inwardly and upwardly from theouter ends of the legs said groove bottom surfaces having a maximumspacing there between slightly greater than the greatest transversedistance across the outer most edges of the lock ring and having thenearest spacing between the groove bottom surfaces occurring at a pointabout one-third to one-half the distance upward from the outer ends ofthe legs whereby the legs can be made to straddle the outer mostedges'of the lock ring from either its open or closed end and will makecontact near a line across said outer most edges to securely hold andresist rotation thereof whenever the ring is being forced over or beingremoved from a shaft.

1. A tool for the removal and installation of a horseshoe shaped lockring of the class described having arms which extend from a transversecross over section providing an open end and a closed end whichcomprises; a head portion at least one pair of legs connected to thehead and having inner facing surfaces and outer ends, the surfaceshaving therein grooves with substantially coplanar bottom surfacEs forengagement with the outer edges of the lock ring the groove bottomsurfaces converging toward each other inwardly and upwardly from theouter ends of the legs and being spaced apart at the nearest point adistance slightly less than the largest dimension across the outer mostedges of the transverse section of the lock ring whereby the legs can bemade to straddle the outer most edges of the lock ring from either itsopen or closed end and will make contact near a line across said outermost edges to securely hold and resist rotation thereof whenever thering is being forced over or being removed from a shaft.
 2. The tool asdefined in claim 1 wherein the groove bottom surfaces have a maximumspacing slightly greater than the greatest transverse distance acrossthe outer most edges of the lock ring.
 3. A tool for the removal andinstallation of horseshoe shaped lock rings for the class describedcomprising; a head portion coplanar legs extending from the head portionhaving facing edges and having at least one groove in each of said edgeswhich is coplanar with a groove in the facing edge bottom surfaces ineach coplanar groove which face each other having spacing there betweena distance less than the largest dimension across the transverse outeredges of the lock ring but greater than the smallest distance across theouter edges of the lock ring each bottom surface being radiusedoutwardly and downwardly toward the outer ends of the legs havingspacing there between at the outer ends of the legs a distance greaterthan the largest dimension across the outer edges of the lock ringwhereby the horseshoe lock ring can be inserted into the groove fromeither direction and will always come to rest on the groove bottom.
 4. Atool for the removal and installation of a horseshoe shaped lock ring ofthe class described having arms which extend from a transverse crossoversection providing an open end and a closed end which comprises; a headportion at least one pair of legs connected to the head and having innerfacing surfaces and outer ends, the surfaces having therein grooves withsubstantially co-planar bottom surfaces for engagement with the outeredges of the lock ring with groove bottom surfaces converging towardeach other inwardly and upwardly from the outer ends of the legs saidgroove bottom surfaces having a maximum spacing there between slightlygreater than the greatest transverse distance across the outer mostedges of the lock ring said maximum spacing between the groove bottomsurfaces occurring at the outer most extremities of the tool legswhereby the legs can be made to straddle the outer most edges of thelock ring from either its open or closed end and will make contact neara line across said outer most edges to securely hold and resist rotationthereof whenever the ring is being forced over or being removed from ashaft.
 5. A tool for the removal and installation of a horseshoe shapedlock ring of the class described having arms which extend from atransverse crossover section providing an open end and a closed endwhich comprises; a head portion at least one pair of legs connected tothe head and having inner facing surfaces and outer ends, the surfaceshaving therein grooves with substantially co-planar bottom surfaces forengagement with the outer edges of the lock ring the groove bottomsurfaces converging toward each other inwardly and upwardly from theouter ends of the legs said groove bottom surfaces having a maximumspacing there between slightly greater than the greatest transversedistance across the outer most edges of the lock ring and having thenearest spacing between the groove bottom surfaces occurring at a pointabout one-third to one-half the distance upward from the outer ends ofthe legs whereby the legs can be made to straddle the outer most edgesof the lock ring from either its open or closed end and will makecontact near a line across said outer most edges to securely hold andresist rotation thereof whenever the ring is being forced over or beingremoved from a shaft.